Operations of certain processes generate wastewaters having high levels of organic materials and surfactants. These wastewaters are difficult to clarify as the higher surfactant levels tend to form emulsions that are not easily broken. These surfactant laden wastewaters have high COD (chemical oxygen demand) levels due to the high levels of insoluble and soluble organic materials and surfactants therein.
Under current environmental regulation standards, before these high COD level streams can be introduced into the environment, the COD level must be reduced to acceptable levels permitted by the regulations. Otherwise, discharge of such high COD level wastewaters as effluents into municipal sewage systems for treatment will result in a surcharge assessment based on the level of COD in the effluent.
Such surfactant laden wastewaters are commonly encountered in dishwater, laundry, textile processing, metal cleaning, and degreasing operations.